Tilting-body lock



June 11, 1929.

.c. G. CLEMENT 1,716,877

TILTING BODY LOCK Filed Aug. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet @Merii'or June 11,1929.- c. G. CLEMENT 1,716,877

TILTING BODY LOCK Filed Aug. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheat 2 I "I, I] I Q 1J72 Me 72 To 7". 5% [es 6. men! %f7iess y I; M

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Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,716,877 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. CLEMENT, OF EDGERTON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HIGHWAY TRAILERCOMPANY, OF EDGERTON, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

TILTING-IBODY LOCK.

Application filed August 24, 1925. Serial No. 51,902.

This invention relates to a load-carrying vehicle having a body adaptedfor tilting laterally for discharging its load and the purpose of theinvention is to provide locking means and convenient controls thereforfor holding the body firmly in load-carrying position or releasing itpromptly for discharging its load. It consists in certain features andelements of construction in combination as herein shown and describedand as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the vehicle frame withthe body removed.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section showing the body on theframe in loadcarrying position.

Figure 3 is a partial end elevation with certain parts in sectionshowing the locking device.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectionof the locking bolt and associated parts.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of certain parts of the operatingdrum for the looking bolts.

The invention is shown applied to a trailer vehicle of the typeembodying a drop frame, 1, carried on wheels, 2, and provided with crossrails, 3, 3, upon which rest the channeled rockers 1,4, of the hopperbody 5. By virtue of this mounting the body is adapted to roll towardone side or the other for tilting to discharge its load. For locking itagainst such rolling motion each end of the body is fitted with a socketmember, 6, and a locking bolt, 7, is slidably carried in a guidefitting, 8, which forms the upper terminal of an A frame, 9, supportedon the terminal portions, 10, of the main frame. Check chains, 11,extend from each side of the body at its upper edge downwardly intoconnection with springs, 12, which supplement the locking bolts, 7, forholding the body in its central upright position. However, upon releaseof one of the check chains and the locking bolts, 7, the tension of thespring, 12, at the other side will initiate the rolling action and tendto quicken .he discharge of the load. Each of the chains, 11, isconnected to the spring, 12, by means of an L-shaped lever, 13,pivotally engaged with an eye, 12, at the upper end of the spring andhaving a tail piece, 13, hooked into a link of the chain, 11. The longerarm of the lever, 13, is held approximately parallel with the chain, 11,by a retaining link, 11, but when this link, 11, is lifted off the endofthe lever the short end, 13, is tilted up by the tension in the partsthus releasing the chain, 11, and leaving the body subject only to thestress of the chain at the other side. As shown the lower ends of thesprings, 12, are conveniently anchored to a cross member, 14, on theframe at about the middle of its length.

Since to permit the dumping action it is necessary to simultaneouslyrelease the looking bolts, 7, at both ends of the body I have found itconvenient to provide a rock shaft, 15, not far from the middle of thelength of the frame and fitted at. both ends with crank arms, 16, andfoot pedals, 17. The shaft, 15, carries a winding drum comprising twomembers, 18, and a central connecting portion,'].9, the latter beingkeyed to the shaft, 15. Cables, 20 and 21, extend from the respectivesections, 18, of the drum toward opposite ends of the vehicle, thecable, 20, passing over a guide pulley, 22, a second pulley, 23, and athird pulley, 24, the last two pulleys being carried by the A frame, 9,at one end of the trailer. The extreme end of the cable, 20, terminatesin a plug, 25, secured in the upper end of the locking bolt, 7. A coilspring, 26, pocketed in the lower end of the bolt and reacting againstthe flange, 27, of the fitting, 8, holds the bolt normally at its upperlimit in engagement with the socket, 6, but as the foot pedal, 17, isdepressed rotating the shaft, 15, and drum, 18, the bolt, 7, isWithdrawn downwardly by the cable, 20, and thus disengaged from thesocket, 6.

Simultaneously a similar movement is transmitted through the cable, 21,passing over pulleys, 28, 29 and 30, and connected with the bolt, 7, atthe other end of the vehicle. The foot pedal, 17, being arranged quitenear to the check chain, 11, it is possible for the operator to uncouplethe chain, 11, from the spring, 12, by hand and release the lockingbolts, 7, by the pressure of his foot upon the pedal, 17 at the sametime, thus allowing the tension of the spring, 12, at the opposite sideof the vehicle to draw the body over for discharging its contents at thefar side. When empty a hopper body of this design is substantiallybalanced so that it can be readil rolled back to central position byhand an as it arrives at this position the locking bolts, 7, will snapinto the sockets, 6,

by virtue of the inclined approaches, 6, on the latter.

The peculiar construction of the winding drum as indicated in Figures 1and 5, permits proper equalization in the tension of the cables, 20 and21, so as to insure that the bolts, 7, will be actuated simultaneously.Each winding section, 18, is formed with a few lateral projecting teethor lugs, 18*, while the middle section 19, which is keyed to the shaft,15, is formed with a closely spaced series of notches, 19, openingtowards opposite sides so that the sections, 18, may be rotativelyadjusted independently of each other, each to the position at which itscable is just taut; then the lugs, 18, are entered in whichever notches,19, happen to register with them under this condition and a set screw18*, in the section, 18, is tightened on the shaft to hold the parts inthis assembled relation.

I claim 1. In a vehicle comprising a frame and a body mounted to tiplaterally in either direction at will to discharge its load, a yieldingcheck strap at each side of the body coupled to the frame, a positivelook at each end of the body for steadying it on the frame, adisengageable connection in each of said check straps, and releasingmeans coupled to each lock operable simultaneously and having operatingmembers adjacent both of said check straps.

2. In the combination defined in claim 1, said releasing meanscomprising a rock shaft extending across the vehicle adjacent the checkstraps with a crank arm at each end of said rock shaft.

3. In a vehicle comprising a frame and a body mounted to tip laterallythereon for discharging its load, a yielding check chain at each side ofthe body disengageably connected with the frame, a locking bolt at eachendof the frame engaging the body to steady it in uprightposition, apull cable extending from each belt for releasing it, a rock shaftextending across the vehicle under the body adjacent the check chains,an operating crank at each end of said shaft .and a drum on the shaft onwhich the pull cables are wound for simultaneously releasing the boltswhen, the rock shaft is turned.

1. In a vehicle comprising a frame and a tiltable body thereon, a pairof locking devices arranged to engage the body at its opposite endsrespectively, and means for releasing said locks simultaneouslyincluding a winding drum, pull cables wound thereon and extending tosaid locking devices respectively and means for turning the drum, saiddrum comprising three parts, one of which is operatively secured to theturning means, each of the other parts having one of the cablesconncctedwith it and being rotatively adjustable with respect to thefirst part-and engageable therewith at short intervals of adjustment toprovide the means'for tightening the cables independentlyof each other.

5. In a vehicle comprising a frame and a tiltablebody thereon, a'pair oflocking devices arranged to engage the body at its opposite endsrespectively, and'means for releasing said locks simultaneouslyincluding a winding drum, pull cableswound thereon and extending to saidlocking devices respectively and means for turning the drum,'said drumcomprising three parts, one of which is operatively secured to theturning means and is formed with a plurality of notches open toward theother two parts, each ofthe other parts having one of the cablesconnectedswith it and having oneor more lugs to engage said notches,said other parts being rotatively adjustable with respect to the firstpart for selective engagement of the lugs andnotches to provide themeans for tensioning the cables individually.

CHARLES G. CLEMENT.

